Which seeds for large onions?

[amandaandherveg]

We have loads of overwintering onion sets planted but I fancy trying my hand at growing some large onions from seed next year. Can anyone recommend which ones to try and where best to buy them?

[zazen999]

Mammoth?

Try here:

W Robinson and Son, specialist seed supplier, mail order vegetable seeds, mammoth vegetables

[amandaandherveg]

Thanks for that Andrea, they look good. How do they compare to Kelsae? I found them on the Simpy Seed link here on the forum.

Onion Seeds Kelsae from SimplySeed.co.uk

[esrikandan]

Ailsa Craig are supposed to give good results - often used by show growers apparently. I grew some last yeat (late December sowing), and got reasonable results, although only grown in containers so not huge.

[Snadger]

I prefer Kelsae to Mammoth as they have more of a 'fig' shape as opposed to Mammoths 'round' shape. I also think the neck is thinner on the Kelsae which makes it easier to tie with raffia for the shows. Personnal views only I hasten to add!
Both are much of a muchness in the taste department and usually quite mild flavoured!

[zazen999]

I'm not really into growing mammothy type onions; I am happy enough with the size that Radar get to and I find the medium sized ones really are so strong that you get as much flavour if not more than from the mammoths. My mammoths never got to a huge size anyway; so I'm not the best to comment.

Try searching for Veg Man Dan and looking at his blog. An eye opener if you want huge onions - to faffy for me! I like to sow, plonk and a bit of fingering and then pull. In that order.

[Snadger]

I'm not really into growing mammothy type onions; I am happy enough with the size that Radar get to and I find the medium sized ones really are so strong that you get as much flavour if not more than from the mammoths. My mammoths never got to a huge size anyway; so I'm not the best to comment.

Try searching for Veg Man Dan and looking at his blog. An eye opener if you want huge onions - to faffy for me! I like to sow, plonk and a bit of fingering and then pull. In that order.

I think from memory Veg Man Dan is a Kelsae convert!

[amandaandherveg]

Thanks everyone, I had a look at Dan's site before I posted here, its fab.

I saw that he mentioned Unwins but must have missed the reference to Kelsae. I'm not much to faffing either but wanted to give a few seeds a try.

[Pies]

Got a pack of Ailsa Craig (6/2011)and unwins exhibition (12/2009), your welcome to them both

[amandaandherveg]

Pies, my goodness, thanks so much. I have some Ailsa Craig already but would love some Unwins Exhibition Onions. Will PM you.

[Incy]

Good luck amandaandherv.
I am trying onions from seed this year too. Really liked the article in this month's magazine. I'm keeping my fingers crossed as I've never managed to get onions to grow successfully from seed before but there has to be a first time for everything right?

[Lazgaot]

I grew Kelsae for fun last year. Planted the seed indoors in modules on New Years day and went from there. Mixed results, some were huge, over 1kg but most were about 750gms each, still big. I also grew some sets, Senshui I think. They were also big, about 500gms each but much more dense than the Kelsae. The Kelsae onions have very thick outer layers/leaves and they have not kept well at all. These thick leaves have gone soft and soggy (fungus/rot?) and I've had to peel them very thickly to get to the good layers under. They were harvested in August, possibly too late but I was away on holiday and when I got back they were almost wrecked. In future I'll pull them in July, they are plenty big then.

[gojiberry]

Don't have much luck with onions of any shape or size. However this year I am growing under the guidance of a local onion grower who has provided me with some of his own seed which I am going to sow in the first week in December and take it from there. Medwyn Williams of Angelesy is supposed to have some good onion seeds.

Ian